Re-learning how to run. Sometimes you're not as awesome as you think you are.
When Lee Saxby, world renown running coach, offered to evaluate my running style I was thrilled thinking I'd impress him with my mad running skillzz. But unfortunately that's not how it went down. Lee Saxby, god bless him, taught me how to run all over again. To pay it forward I'm sharing his tips with you.
Don't know Lee Saxby? (sexy, British run expert) Well, it's about time.
Back in the day, Lee was a conventional running coach (boooring) until he was introduced to Pose Method Training. The Post Method entirely changed Lee's approach to running and coaching and now he teaches this method to runners all over the world. In a nut shell, the Pose Method of running is efficient, injury-free running taught through poses that dramatically improve your running performance. Pace and foot landing are crucial to this method which is very popular among professional athletes.
How Lee Saxby helped me become a better runner
Lee put me on a treadmill and recorded my running technique before and after his coaching session. He first made me run with my conventional running shoes and then coached me how to run better in my Evo barefoot running shoes. Evo shoes are engineered to perfect ergonomic running and help runners fully use their feet instead of restricting or cushioning them. Conventional running shoes have turned lots of runners into heel strikers which can translate into injury down the road. I've written about this before and you can check out my Evo review HERE. And yes, I'm a fan of them. Lee works with Terra Plana, maker of the Evo, in the development of performance shoe technology and user training. The combination of running in my Evo's and applying Lee's Pose Method techniques made me run faster, more comfortably, and feel a lot lighter on my feet. Check out Lee's tips below and watch how they improved my running style in the video.
Lee's Tips For Better Running (from Pose Method Running)
- Make sure you run in an S-like body position with your knees slightly bent. Lead with your chest forward, head elongated and shoulders back.
- Lean forward from the ankles to employ gravity and work with it not against it. It feels like you're launching off rocket-style and this actually propels you!
- Pull or lift your feet up under your hips as you run instead of behind your butt
- Land on the ball of your foot, not your heel, and make sure that landing happens under your body instead of in front of your center of mass. When you do this you'll feel like you're taking shorter steps, but this is a good thing because you'll be lighter on your feet and spend less time on the ground which will in turn increase your speed.
Learn more about Lee Saxby and Pose Method
Shop/Browse Terra Plana's Evo Shoe
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